Quotes of the day

posted at 9:00 pm on January 22, 2011 by Allahpundit

“On Thursday, NBC’s news division staged an elaborate presentation for advertisers, seeking to sell commercial time in NBC’s news programs over the next year. All the members of MSNBC’s prime-time lineup spoke at the lunch with one exception: Keith Olbermann, the network’s biggest star.

For the last several weeks, Mr. Olbermann and the network have been in negotiations to end his successful run on MSNBC, according to executives involved in the talks who requested anonymity because the talks were confidential. The deal was completed on Friday, and Mr. Olbermann made the announcement on his final ‘Countdown’ hours later…

“One executive, who asked not to be identified because Comcast had instructed employees not speak about the situation, said the company dreaded the prospect of being blamed if Mr. Olbermann were to quit soon after the takeover.”

“But the NBC Universal executive characterized it as a mutual parting of the ways, with Olbermann taking the first step. The executive spoke on condition of anonymity because settlement talks were kept confidential…

“While he disagreed with most everything Olbermann said, ‘he had probably the best-produced show on television,’ Bozell said. That’s the danger for MSNBC and liberals — Olbermann may be replaced by someone who has the same viewpoints, but not necessarily with a show people are as eager to watch.”

***
“Here’s how it went down. Sources familiar with the situation tell us that Olbermann’s agent recently went to NBC complaining that Keith — who has the most popular show on MSNBC — was underpaid at $7 million per year. NBC execs told Olbermann’s agent they would not cough up anymore money.

“Network execs were well aware that Comcast wanted Keith gone because he was ‘a loose cannon that could not be controlled.’ It became clear to both sides that Olbermann’s days were numbered and they began negotiating an exit…

“Our sources say Olbermann will, however, reappear soon with a presence on the Internet.”

***
“The gadfly commentator first told the network last April that he wanted to leave and began negotiating his exit then, according to an individual with knowledge of the situation…

“With two years left on his $7 million a year contract, Olbermann was seeking a full exit package but he really has his eye on creating his own media empire in the style of Huffington Post, according to the individual. That way, Olbermann would control his own brand and, in his view, potentially earn far more as an owner.”

***
“Go to Fox News: Yes, it sounds insane (for both sides). But think about it. Every other lightweight ‘liberal’ that Fox tries to toss on the air to make things ‘fair and balanced’ has no real gravitas. Olbermann? When it comes to television, he is the voice of the left. There’s your balance (screw fair – nobody with a brain that hasn’t been pickled by Kool-Aid believes that nonsense). Can you image what kind of ratings Death Star would be created if he joined Fox News? It would turn MSNBC to dust and leave CNN so much further behind in the ratings that it would be battling BET for numbers. It would also allow Roger Ailes to lord it over every liberal in this country and he might swallow whatever pride he has about Olbermann to have that kind of club at his disposal.

“And – wait for it – it would be the most audacious reach across the aisle in television history. The left would have to actually tune their television to Fox News to find Olbermann. And the right would have to suffer through all those promos for his show – like sizzle reel Kryptonite – before settling in on Bill O’Reilly. A nation heals.

“And, seriously, who wouldn’t want to watch O’Reilly and Olbermann toss to each other every night? It would be a sneer and snark fest for the ages.”

***
“OlbermannWatch’s work may be done but Olbermann comes out on top…

“Today, for the first time since 2003, Keith Olbermann no longer has a TV show. He is no longer considered a News Anchor at NBC. For NBC News, however, it is too late. The reputation of the news division is left in tatters. MSNBC is nothing but a far-left outpost for the lunatic fringe. The broadcast news operation a fading shadow on a fourth place network — fifth if you consider the nights when Fox News beats NBC News coverage of special events like the State of the Union Address or the national political conventions.

“And in that sense, Keith won. He wanted to turn NBC News into liberal alternative to Fox News. He succeeded.“

Every other lightweight ‘liberal’ that Fox tries to toss on the air to make things ‘fair and balanced’ has no real gravitas. Olbermann? When it comes to television, he is the voice of the left.

Utter crap. Of course it came from a “Hollywood” website. Fox has routinely featured left Democrats who have made enormous change in the Democrat Party who would be mortified at appearing with Olbermann. Tom Brokaw won’t even appear with him!

Yeah, that Hollywood Reporter bit there was sure a bit of objective journalism, wasn’t it?

Would like to see why they don’t think Fox is “fair”. Because it actually lets conservatives talk without being shouted down? Yeah, I guess that is unfair to liberals since whenever a conservative is actually given the chance to speak, he or she completely demolishes the arguments of any and all liberals.

It would turn MSNBC to dust and leave CNN so much further behind in the ratings that it would be battling BET for numbers.

Two problems with that statement:

1) That’s pretty much what’s happening anyway.
2) If Olbermann had that kind of ratings pull, MSNBC would have fought to keep him. As is, we’re talking about a man whose show consistently got better ratings when he wasn’t there.

“With two years left on his $7 million a year contract, Olbermann was seeking a full exit package but he really has his eye on creating his own media empire in the style of Huffington Post, according to the individual. That way, Olbermann would control his own brand and, in his view, potentially earn far more as an owner.”

When liberals accuse conservatives of hate-filled rants, they seem to enjoy making the accusation. It validates their narrative. They’re almost pleased with themselves for pointing it out. About KO I’ll say, he wants his own media empire, his own brand, like Rush and the EIB network? Sure. KO can go take his hate-filled rants wherever he’d like. And when I say “his hate-filled rants” I say that reluctance and sadness. Because they inform and ultimately help no one. To be completely honest, to use Obama’s rhetoric, they serve to harm and not to heal. A far left liberal viewpoint, fine. But he truly needs to make it personal, and then, destroy that person if he possibly can, for what that person represents. That’s wrong. As a rule, the right doesn’t do that. Rush, Sean, Glenn, they don’t do that. Why must liberals personally attack, with the intent to destroy, those they disagree with.

Someone here posted a Twitter screen that caught my attention, but didn’t get the same attention-nor shown the truth; they “own the media” and they are upset that Olberman lost his show so they want a boycot of MSLSD because they don’t want to lose the media; it’s theirs after all.

Acknowledgment(sp?) of something that cannot be touched, but can be seen. Interesting. Another person was fired but nobody is talking about it. Why? It’s a key position within the whole evening block.

Underpaid? $7 mil a year? Dude has no clue of a housewife’s job! And we’re supposed to be paid on an executive level-just like the President Obozo, we must be available 24/7 every day of the week./off the soapbox.

@MeatHeadinCA on January 22, 2011 at 9:36 PM
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Great video find MeatHead! Except the title should be changed to: “White House finds out Olberman has been fired.” If Axelrod could get off the doughnut train and ask for some hair plug tips from Sheriff Slow Joe Biden, he could be a serious contender for the leading male roll. But if you want someone to bring true passion and ideology to the lead, there is but one man for job, the real boss of all bosses – especially in the west wing and the oval office, Mayor Richard M. Daley. See, nobody gets nuttin’ in dis town without da Mare’s approval. Axelrod, Our Gal Val Jarret, Obama and now Billy Daley, are all Daley guyz.

There was a rumor that he was going to be a big shot at Versus-which we only watch for the Tour De France, or an important golf championship tournament. Versus has a kewl online setup for the Tour, and I don’t want him anywhere near cycling, golfing or football. I just walked out of the room whenever I saw him.

The WH Press Secretary would be even more fun. Tapper Vs. Olberman?Priceless. That includes any FOX News corresponder-can we surprise him with an impromptu switch-a-roo with O’Reilly as a White House correspondent,just for a day?

I can’t see Comcast wanting to retain MSNBC in its present form. If they do they get smeared with all that MSNBC is, and they don’t want that for the effect it would have on the rest of their business. Who would want to subscribe to cable service from the owner of MSNBC?

Two possibilities, pull out what value there might be and sell it off quickly. Someone like Tingles might be given a choice, NBC or MSNBC, if he commits to go straight.

Second, a massive makeover into a respectable network. But why build an internal competitor to your own network, NBC? How do you differentiate MSNBC yet make it distinct from NBC?

About 33 Minutes
Protecting America in the New Missile Age
*****************************************

33 Minutes:

Protecting America in the New Missile Age is a one-hour documentary produced by The Heritage Foundation that tells the story of the very real threat foreign enemies pose to every one of us. The truth is brutal – no matter where on Earth a missile is launched from it would take 33 Minutes or less to hit the U.S. target it was programmed to destroy.

Put on your hiking boots, because we’re headed for a long, twisting walk up the grassy knoll. Conspiracy theorists are going to flock left-wing firebrand Keith Olbermann’s abrupt departure from MSNBC like paparazzi to a naked Kardashian.

Political shoutfests are certainly no stranger to TV, and Real Time, despite being a generally friendly atmosphere, has hosted very heated debates over the years. But last night, a debate over Reaganomics between Rachel Maddow and the Wall Street Journal’s Steve Moore which ended with Maddow uncharacteristically standing up to shout over her adversary had a bit of a twist:

China’s new stealth fighter may use US technology
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BRUSSELS (AP) — Chinese officials recently unveiled a new, high-tech stealth fighter that could pose a significant threat to American air superiority — and some of its technology, it turns out, may well have come from the U.S. itself.

Balkan military officials and other experts have told The Associated Press that in all probability the Chinese gleaned some of their technological know-how from an American F-117 Nighthawk that was shot down over Serbia in 1999.

canopfor on January 23, 2011 at 6:50 AM
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You’ve been a busy little camper, eh?
We are at five degrees with wind chill below zero and 6-9 inch drifts of global warming. Lot’s of cxl’d church services, but not mine so far.